Pilferage protection for satellite vending machine having dual pricing capability

Abstract

A satellite vending machine having a tier of manually operated ejectors for dispensing a selection of packaged articles from storage magazines therein to expand the capacity of a parent vending machine is installed on top of the parent and utilizes the coin-actuated totalizer unit and associated mechanism of the parent and provides a linkage to its own heavy duty mechanism responsive to the latch positions in the parent as pilferage protection. The dual pricing capability of the parent is extended to the satellite by a linkage from the ejectors of the magazines having the higher priced articles in the satellite to the latch mechanism of the parent to lock both parent and satellite latch mechanisms when a higher priced ejector in the satellite is pulled with the deposit of coins sufficient only for the lower priced articles. When a proper amount of coins is deposited, a mutual lockout function between satellite and parent locks the ejectors in the parent when an ejector in the satellite is operated and vice versa.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. The combination of a parent vending machine with a satellite machine mounted thereon, said parent machine including a plurality of ejectors and a coin actuated totalizer having a plurality of movable latch release levers and a plurality of latches adapted to be moved into a latched and unlatched state by said release levers as a function of the position of the latter relative to said latches governed by coin deposit in said parent machine, said satellite machine also having a plurality of ejectors and a plurality of latches adapted to be latched and unlatched for respectively preventing and enabling operation of the satellite ejectors, each of said ejectors of the parent and satellite machines being adapted to dispense an article stored in an associated magazine by manual operation of said ejector on predetermined coin deposits in said parent machine, mutual lockout linkage means for all said ejectors in both parent and satellite machines except the selected ejector, and means interconnecting said latches of said coin actuated totalizer with said latches of said satellite machine, said interconnecting means being operative to allow latching of some only of said latches of the satellite machine on deposit of a first coin amount in the parent machine and operative to allow unlatching of all of the latches of the satellite machine on deposit of a second coin amount in the parent machine. 
     
     
       2. The combination defined in claim 1, in which said satellite has a supporting frame mounting the satellite latches for transmitting directly to said frame excessive force if exerted on the satellite ejectors when the latter is prevented from operation by the satellite latches. 
     
     
       3. The combination of a parent vending machine with a satellite machine mounted thereon, a plurality of ejectors on each machine for selective manual pullout and return actuation thereof to dispense articles stored in the respective machine, a latch mechanism in each machine for locking and releasing the ejectors of the respective machine, a coin-actuated totalizer unit located in the parent machine having a latch release means adapted to unlatch the latch mechanism of the parent machine as a function of coin deposit in the parent machine, a linkage between said parent and said satellite latch mechanism for operating the satellite latch mechanism under direct control of the latch mechanism of the totalizer unit in the parent mechanism, and means, independent of said linkage, for normally maintaining unlatched said satellite latch mechanism and being responsive to pullout movement of a satellite ejector on predetermined coin deposit in the parent machine to release the satellite latch mechanism for positioning by said linkage in response to the positioning of the parent latch mechanism. 
     
     
       4. The combination defined in claim 3, in which said satellite machine has a drawbar assembly comprising a transverse bar and a side arm extending in perpendicular relation and connected for forward and rearward movement therewith, said transverse bar being located for forward movement by said pullout actuation of each of said satellite ejectors and adapted to lockout said satellite ejectors when immobilized, a blocking lever rotatably mounted at one end thereof and having an opposite free end extending adjacent said side arm, means interconnecting said side arm and blocking lever free end for mutual coaction therebetween, said satellite latch mechanism when in latched position extending across the path of rotation of said blocking lever to obstruct movement thereof and of said coacting side arm to effect said blocking of the satellite ejectors preventing article dispensing. 
     
     
       5. The combination defined in claim 4, in which said parent machine includes a rotatable shaft for actuating said latch release means, and interconnecting means between said side arm and said rotatable shaft for converting said forward and rearward movement of said side arm to rotary movement of said shaft to effect said latch release means unlatching of the parent latch mechanism. 
     
     
       6. The combination defined in claim 5, including means interconnecting said side arm and said satellite latch mechanism for normally retaining the latter in unlatched position and being effective, in response to initial pullout movement of the satellite ejector and side arm, to release said satellite latch mechanism for positioning by said linkage in response to the positioning of the parent latch mechanism. 
     
     
       7. The combination defined in claim 6, in which said interconnecting means between said side arm and rotatable shaft and said means interconnecting said side arm and said satellite latch mechanism include a stub shaft radially projecting from said side arm and slidingly operating a pair of cam levers, one cam lever being connected to said rotatable shaft and the other cam lever being linked to said latch mechanism. 
     
     
       8. The combination defined in claim 3, in which said satellite machine has a drawbar assembly comprising a transverse bar and a pair of side arms extending in perpendicular relation and connected to opposite ends thereof for forward and rearward movement therewith, said transverse bar beng located for forward movement by said pullout actuation of each of said satellite ejectors and adapted to lockout said satellite ejectors when immobilized, mutual lockout linkage means for all said ejectors in both parent and satellite machines except the selected ejector when said predetermined amount of coins is deposited, a first of said side arms being operatively connected as a component of said mutual lockout linkage means, the latter being connected to operate said latch release means by said initial movement of said selective manual ejector actuation, means interconnecting the second of said side arms and said satellite latch mechanism for normally retaining the latter in unlatched position and being responsive to the pullout initial movement of a satellite ejector and said drawbar assembly to release said satellite latch mechanism for positioning by said linkage in response to the positioning of the parent latch mechanism. 
     
     
       9. The combination defined in claim 3, wherein at least one of said satellite ejectors dispenses articles of a predetermined higher price, and wherein each of said parent and satellite latch mechanisms and linkage therebetween comprises parent and satellite independently operable dual latches and linkages therebetween, a first of said dual latches and linkages being responsive to said latch release means, said coin-actuated totalizer unit having a high price latch release means for retaining the second of said parent dual latches in unlatched position when an amount of coins of said predetermined higher price is deposited therein, said parent machine having a high price differential assembly spring biased to normally retain said parent second latch and said satellite second latch by way of the second linkage in unlatched positions, and disabling means operated by said satellite high price ejectors to release said high price differential assembly against said spring bias for positioning said parent second latch and the satellite second latch through said linkage as a function of the positioning of said high price release means. 
     
     
       10. The combination defined in claim 9, in which said disabling means includes a rotatable transverse shaft spring extending in close proximity to said satellite ejectors and a linkage from said shaft to said high price differential assembly to effect said release on rotation of said transverse shaft from a normal position thereof, each of said high price ejectors having cam means for rotating and releasing said shaft, once on said selective pullout actuation of said high price ejector and again on said return thereof, and means retaining said linkage to the high price differential assembly in disabling position between said pullout and return actuation of said high price ejector. 
     
     
       11. The combination defined in claim 10, in which said satellite machine has a drawbar assembly comprising a transverse bar and a side arm extending in perpendicular relation and connected for forward and rearward movement therewith, said transverse bar being located for forward movement by said pullout actuation of each of said satellite ejectors and adapted to lockout said satellite ejectors when immobilized, said satellite latch mechanism when in latched position obstructing movement of said side arm to effect said blocking of the satellite ejectors preventing article dispensing, said drawbar assembly actuating said means retaining said linkage to the high price differential assembly in disabling position. 
     
     
       12. The combination of a parent vending machine with a satellite machine mounted thereon, each machine having a plurality of ejectors, each of said ejectors being adapted to dispense an article stored in an associated magazine by selective manual pullout and return actuation of said ejector, each machine having an intermediate means engaged and operated by each of the ejectors thereof on said pullout actuation, said parent machine having a coinactuated totalizer unit operated by said parent intermediate means and by said satellite intermediate means through a first linkage between parent and satellite, said parent machine having a first plurality of latches at rest in a normally latched position obstructing movement of said parent intermediate means beyond a predetermined initial distance and locking out said parent machine ejectors from said article dispensing, said parent coin-actuated totalizer unit having means for releasing said first plurality of latches to an unlatched position responsive to the movement of either said parent or satellite intermediate means through pullout of a respective ejector thereof said initial distance when a predetermined amount of coins is deposited in said totalizer unit, said totalizer unit otherwise being unresponsive and permitting said first plurality of latches to remain latched, a second plurality of latches located in said satellite for obstructing movement of said satellite intermediate means beyond said predetermined initial distance to thereby lock out said satellite ejectors, and linkage means between said first and second plurality of latches, said linkage means being operative to allow latching of some only of said latches of the satellite machine on deposit of a first coin amount in the parent machine and operative to allow unlatching of all of the latches of the satellite machine on deposit of a second coin amount in the parent machine. 
     
     
       13. The combination defined in claim 12, including a mutual lockout linkage means for all said ejectors in both parent and satellite machines except the selected ejector when said predetermined amount of coins is deposited in said totalizer unit. 
     
     
       14. The combination defined in claim 12, in which at least one of said satellite ejectors dispenses articles of a predetermined higher price, a high price vending means for said high price ejectors comprising a high price latch in said parent machine, a high price latch in said satellite responsive to the positioning of said parent high price latch through an interconnecting linkage to obstruct movement of said satellite intermediate means beyond said initial distance, said coin-actuated totalizer unit having a high price latch release means for retaining said parent high price latch in an unlatched position responsive to the movement of said satellite intermediate means through pullout of said satellite high price ejectors when an amount of coins of said predetermined higher price is deposited, a high price differential assembly in said parent machine normally retaining said parent and satellite high price latches in unlatched position, and disabling means actuated by said satellite high price ejectors to release said high price differential assembly for positioning said parent and satellite high price latches by said totalizer unit high price latch release means. 
     
     
       15. The combination of a parent vending machine with a satellite machine mounted thereon, a plurality of ejectors on each machine for selective manual pullout and return actuation thereof to dispense articles stored in the respective machine, a latch mechanism in each machine for locking and releasing the ejectors of the respective machine, a coin-actuated totalizer unit located in the parent machine having a latch release means adapted to unlatch the latch mechanism of the parent machine as a function of coin deposit in the parent machine, a linkage between said parent and said satellite latch mechanism for operating the satellite latch mechanism under direct control of the latch mechanism of the totalizer unit in the parent mechanism, said linkage between said parent and satellite mechanisms including parent and satellite levers located for engagement with the respective latch mechanisms, a rod interconnecting said levers for movement in the same direction, and a spring biasing said linkage in a direction whereby said parent lever engages the parent latch mechanism and said satellite lever disengages from said satellite latch mechanism facilitating movement of the latter to a latched position. 
     
     
       16. The combination defined in claim 15, including means, independent of said linkage, for normally maintaining unlatched said satellite latch mechanism and being responsive to initial pullout movement of a satellite ejector to release said satellite latch mechanism for movement to its latched position, said parent latch mechanism, when unlatched by said latch release means, governed by predetermined coin amount deposit in the parent machine, actuating said parent lever against the bias of said spring to engage said satellite lever with said satellite latch mechanism thereby to prevent the latter from moving to its latched position when released by said independant means. 
     
     
       17. The combination defined in claim 15, in which said parent latch mechanism comprises a hub mounted for rotation on a first shaft and has a latch member radially extending for swinging between a latched and unlatched position on rotation of the hub by said latch release means, said hub having a radially extending finger, a rocker arm rotatably mounted on a second shaft spaced from said first locating one end of the rocker arm in operative engagement with said finger, the opposite end of said rocker arm being located for said engagement with the parent lever of said linkage whereby rotation of said hub from latched to unlatched position actuates said linkage against the action of said spring. 
     
     
       18. The combination of a parent vending machine with a satellite machine mounted thereon, each machine having a plurality of ejectors, each of said ejectors being adapted to dispense an article stored in an associated magazine by selective manual pullout and return actuation of said ejector, each machine having an intermediate means engaged and operated by each of the ejectors thereof on said pullout actuation, said parent machine having a coin-actuated totalizer unit operated by said parent intermediate means and by said satellite intermediate means through a first linkage between parent and satellite, said parent machine having a first latch mechanism at rest in a normally latched position obstructing movement of said parent intermediate means beyond a predetermined initial distance and locking out said parent machine ejectors from said article dispensing, said parent coin-actuated totalizer unit having means for releasing said first latch mechanism to an unlatched position responsive to the movement of either said parent or satellite intermediate means through pullout of a respective ejector thereof said initial distance when a predetermined amount of coins is deposited in said totalizer unit, said totalizer unit otherwise being unresponsive and permitting said first latch mechanism to remain latched, a second latch mechanism located in said satellite for obstructing movement of said satellite intermediate means beyond said predetermined initial distance and locking out said satellite ejectors, a second linkage between said first and second latch mechanisms whereby the second latch mechanism responds to the positioning of said first latch mechanism when said satellite intermediate means completes said initial distance movement on pullout of an ejector in the satellite machine, at least one of said satellite ejectors dispensing articles of a predetermined higher price, a high price vending means for said high price ejectors comprising a high price latch in said parent machine, a high price latch in said satellite responsive to the positioning of said parent high price latch through an interconnecting linkage to obstruct movement of said satellite intermediate means beyond said initial distance, said coinactuated totalizer unit having a high price latch release means for retaining said parent high price latch in an unlatched position responsive to the movement of said satellite intermediate means through pullout of said satellite high price ejectors when an amount of coins of said predetermined higher price is deposited, a high price differential assembly in said parent machine normally retaining said parent and satellite high price latches in unlatched position, and disabling means actuated by said satellite high price ejectors to release said high price differential assembly for positioning said parent and satellite high price latches by said totalizer unit high price latch release means.